Page 31 of Guardian

“Jemma saw it all,” I stated.

“I know. Doc told me. He said she was taking care of EZ until he arrived. She’s got balls that’s for sure.”

“Not really. She’s just compassionate. She left with Jackson and told me to stay away from them. She doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore, so I’m back. No more divided loyalties,” I replied.

“What about protecting her? She’ll get scared and call you. She needs you, and she cares about you whether she thinks so at the moment or not,” Prime declared.

“I’ll check on her when I can, but as to watching over her every minute I don’t have the time, and she’d get pissed if she saw me. I can only pray that the threats were just meant to get Mitch to pay up, and they won’t really go after Jemma or Jackson. At least, they’ve learned how to fight a little bit. I’m thankful for that,” I admitted.

“I’ve spoken with Petrov. He’s not pleased with what I’ve asked of him, but he’s doing it. He says he has a man who can get inside the cartel and get information out. The guy can’t just straight out ask about Mitch, so it will take a few days to gatherintel, but we’ll know something soon. I’m not quitting on this even though Jemma wants it that way,” Prime responded.

“I’m grateful. I know that the spy can get you information on what the cartel has planned for the club, and that’s your main objective, but thanks for including Mitch. I know you didn’t have to,” I answered.

“Jemma and Jackson are important to you, so they’re important to me as well. We watch over our own. If she’s yours then she’s ours, too.”

The next two days were the longest of my life. I broke down and called Jemma on the second day. She didn’t answer. I hadn’t expected her to, but I’d hoped a miracle would happen. I drove by her house, her work, Jackson’s school, and anywhere else I thought they might go just to make sure they were alive and well. I slept in a borrowed car across from their house once my shift at the bar was over until almost sunrise. I left before Jemma woke up and worried about the strange car parked at the curb.

I saw nothing suspicious while I spied. Everything was quiet and normal, which made me nervous for more than one reason. It meant that Jemma was doing just fine without me, most likely not even thinking about me or the night we’d spent in her bed. It also gave me a feeling of dread, as if everything was about to blow up in our faces. I hated it when I was right.

Prime called while I was eating runny eggs and burnt toast in an all-night diner that should have been shut down years ago due to its filthy state. I was too twisted up inside to care much about the germs I was consuming or the smell of vomit even the heavy scent of bleach couldn’t cover.

I answered the call with a curt, “What’s the problem?”

“Come to my office at the MC house immediately. I have some news about Jemma’s ex.”

“Can’t you just tell me what the news is over the phone? I’m trying to gag down the most disgusting meal ever cooked,” I replied.

“It’s probably better that you don’t eat. Leave it and get here asap. I’m not getting into this over the phone, and I have visitors you need to meet,” Prime explained.

“On my way,” I promised and dropped some cash on the table to cover the nasty mess this place was bold enough to call breakfast.

Since I’d returned the borrowed car in the early hours of the morning and decided to end my nightly spying on Jemma I whizzed past the cars on the main road on my bike, breaking the speed limit in order to obey Prime.

Several of my associates were in the kitchen of the house arguing over trivial matters, but Ditch, our VP, was waiting for me.

“You made good time. I’m here to warn you not to go in there with an attitude or any notion of dealing with matters on your own. Prime’s visitors won’t take kindly to that, and it could break the alliance that Prime has made. Listen, learn, and do as you’re told,” Ditch ordered.

I didn’t like the way the orders sounded or that I was being chastised before I’d even done anything wrong. However, I knew when to obey and when to challenge orders, and this was definitely the time to obey. Obviously the mafia head or his representatives were inside Prime’s office. Going in there with an attitude would destroy the alliance and possibly add a new enemy to those we already had.

I knocked on the closed door and heard Prime say, “Enter, Sweet.”

“Sir,” said the instant I opened the door. “What is it you require of me?”

My eyes darted around and saw two visitors, three if you counted the bodyguard stationed ramrod straight beside the door I’d entered.

The bodyguard didn’t even blink when I stepped in. The man sitting in the chair directly in front of Prime had to be the pakhan, the mafia boss known as Petrov. He had dark hair and dark eyes that cut through me like a laser beam. He had a patch of hair on his chin and shoulder’s that a linebacker would envy. At the moment he was looking me over. It felt as if he was reading my soul.

The blonde beauty sitting beside him was another matter. She had legs that went on forever, blonde hair that fell to her waist, and eyes that said she’s seen everything there was to see in this world. Her nails were tapping out a rhythm on the arm of her chair.

“Close the door and take a seat,” Prime replied to my question.

I obeyed though I hated sitting when the bodyguard was standing. It left me slower to react to trouble, giving Petrov’s man the advantage if things got ugly.

“Kirk, I’d like you to meet the bratva leader in our area. This is Drago Petrov who was kind enough to find the answers we required. The lovely lady beside him is his daughter, Zoe.”

I cringed when Prime used the name I was given at birth. That’s not who I was anymore. I supposed he used it in order to show we would hold back nothing from our new allies, but it still made me nauseous.

To the Russians Prime said, “This is Kirk, also known as Sweet, our enforcer. He’s the one who had concerns about Mitch’s involvement with the cartel. Would you mind filling him in on what your inside man has learned?”

---